The Golden Gate Bridge, a U.S. National Park Treasure

Over the next few weeks, we'll explore the Golden Gate Bridge from multiple angles, starting north in Marin County, then taking a walk on the bridge, and then viewing it from San Francisco.

Introduction

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), or Golden Gate Parks, refers to multiple regions in and near the Golden Gate Bridge, administered by the National Park Service. Exploring this area perfectly fits the theme for Summer 2025 (and, certainly, beyond) to delve into our “U.S. National Parks & Places.”

My initial goal for the Golden Gate Bridge was to visit and hike or walk various areas within the GGNRA bringing us iconic views of the bridge. I thought, “Okay. I’ll divide up these bridge vantage points into three posts: one on the north side in the Marin Headlands, one on a walk over the bridge, and then the last at Crissy Field and Fort Point in San Francisco, all part of the National Park Service and all with incredible views.” That would give us three good weeks to explore the bridge: on the north side, then the span of the bridge itself, and then just south of the bridge in San Francisco.

But there are truly so many more magnificent vistas of the bridge and, I think I’ll add a few additional destinations. Specifically, there’s Fort Baker, also on the north side of the bridge. And there’s Baker Beach and Land’s End on the south side.

(There’s another view from Alcatraz I’d like to explore, but which I think will be one or two separate letters of their own.)

So we’ve essentially got a theme-within-a-theme: the “Golden Gate Bridge from Multiple Angles” on our “U.S. National Parks & Places” Tour!

Some Quick Introductory Facts on the Golden Gate and Its Bridge

• The Golden Gate is the 3-mile long channel or strait beneath the bridge connecting the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay

• Captain John Fremont (for whom a nearby East Bay city is named), of the U.S. Corps of Topographical Engineers, gave the channel the name “Golden Gate” in 1846, almost 100 years before the bridge was built.

• The first Europeans to see the Golden Gate were Spanish soldiers in 1769, who happened upon it accidentally and called it “La Boca” (the Mouth) and “La Entrada” (the Entrance). Even earlier, the area’s Miwok natives called the channel “Mouth of the Sundown Sea.”

• The Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles (2.7km) long.

• It connects San Francisco in the south to Marin County in the north.

• The bridge spans the Golden Gate Strait which is three miles long and varies between one and three miles wide.

• At its highest point, it is 746 feet (228 meters) tall

• The water is over 300 feet deep in the middle of the channel

• (Not a very pleasant fact at all: the toll to cross the bridge from Marin County into San Francisco is $9.25, if you have Fastrak, and $10.25 without—a tourist toll amount, essentially. In July 2025, the toll will rise again by $.50 and I’ll pay $9.75 to get into the City and those without Fastrak will pay almost $11.00—$10.75! Those without Fastrak are invoiced based on license plate number. It’s free to go from San Francisco into Marin County.)

The Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands

On my first foray into the vistas of Golden Gate Bridge, I ventured not too far from my home by heading to the Marin Headlands, southeast of me about 30-40 minutes. It was quite sunny by the time I arrived to the Headlands and a little hazy, but the three stops at Conzelman Road, Hawk Hill (closed for construction but with a short, lovely trail), and Battery Spencer still yielded expansive and gorgeous vistas of the bridge and hazy San Francisco.

NPS map of the Marin Headlands with Three Areas Visited.

The three Golden Gate Vista Points visited in the Marin Headlands

I’ll include some of those views, many of which include the City. There’s also a flower gallery to show you from the nature trail at Hawk Hill, captured in macro detail.

[Note: There is significant WWII and Cold War History found in the Marin Headlands which we’ll only cursorily address this week and during this theme.]